Bolton defender: 'We shouldn't have to play against Brentford'

Bolton Wanderers defender Andy Taylor on Brentford clash

Bolton Wanderers’ players have not agreed to play their rescheduled game against Brentford, according to their defender Andrew Taylor.

The Bees’ second-last game of the Championship season was originally scheduled for April 27, however, that was postponed because of their opposition’s players going on strike due to unpaid wages.

And while there was a provisional date for May 7, just a couple days after what was meant to be Brentford’s final game against Preston, that is now in doubt.

Taylor, Bolton’s PFA representative, insists prospects of the game going ahead with a full-strength side were hampered last week due to a lack of communication between the EFL and players.

He told The Bolton News: “My personal feeling is that we shouldn’t have to play that game [against Brentford].

“At the end of the day, we’re employees who have chosen to strike and, if that happened in the wider world, the staff wouldn’t be asked to work another day to make up for lost time.

“The EFL now need to work through the process and decide what they want to do, but I don’t think it’s right to play the kids.

“I also don’t think that Brentford would play their first team if that was the case. So where is the sense in playing that game?

“It feels as if the statement they put out saying that we had to play the game that week just created panic. It was something they jumped into hastily, rather than speaking directly to the players and making everyone aware of their options.”

This comes as Bolton said Laurence Bassini’s takeover of the club was off and that “there will be no further discussions with him”.

The former Watford owner said he was intent on purchasing the now-relegated Championship club, which was announced on April 17.

However, Bolton’s current owner Ken Anderson said that, if Bassini didn’t provide proof of funds by Monday, then he’d look elsewhere.

That deadline has since passed and now the club says they consider his approach “at an end”.

But Bassini has since said he's not giving up on buying the club, according to The Bolton News, and asserts that he is “in control” of the club.

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